Luggage is commonly used for conveniently carrying a substantial variety of articles intended for numerous travel related and daily activities. Oftentimes the user of the luggage may wish to temporarily rest at a location that does not include a seat or other appropriate resting spot. Accordingly, it has been recognized that it would be advantageous to provide such a seat in conjunction with the article of luggage which would readily permit the user to open the seat and rest for the desired period of time.
While several such arrangements have been previously proposed to generally provide such a seat in conjunction with various articles of luggage, they have several disadvantages. One such disadvantage, prevalent in numerous of the prior proposals, is the requirement that the seat member be permanently attached to the article of luggage. This restricts the flexibility of seat utilization, and requires the user to tote the seat portion during those excursions when the user has no intent to utilize the seat. Hence, the user is required to always carry the extra weight and bulk of the seat. Such combinations in which the seat sections are permanently connected to the luggage are typically shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,549,647; 4,003,455; 5,499,760; 5,445,301; 5,533,654; 5,318,342; 5,303,975; 4,773,574; 4,676,548; 4,550,813; 4,387,924; and 3,532,378. Further, the permanent interconnection of the luggage and seat, as typically shown in these prior structures, restricts the matter in which the seat can be used, and, in many instances provides complex and cumbersome arrangements.
Recognizing the desirability of providing increased independence between the luggage and the seat unit, while still permitting easy transporting of the seat unit within the luggage, one aspect of the present invention is to permit seat removal to substantially enhance the versatility and simplification of a combination backpack and seat unit.
One prior arrangement known to separate the seat is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,155. However it does not offer the several advantages of the present invention. For example, should it be desired to maintain the connection of the seat to the luggage, the present invention repositions a cushioned surface of the luggage to cushion the seat when the seat unit is in its operative condition.